Part Ten
Alexandra Styles kept her gaze on everyone, watching them with deep scrutiny as she waited with almost a hint of anticipation for the others to arrive. The captain was always to be found holding court over the bridge from his command chair. Chris Larabee did not appear as focused as he normally did and seemed preyed with far away thoughts, she was certain had nothing to do with the bridge of the contents of the data pad in his hand. The captain seemed somewhat distracted and Alex had a good idea with what, pleased that their solution of keeping the captain busy for the moment had yielded such good results.
Buck Wilmington was the second high-ranking officer on the bridge and he remained at the Captain's side just as reflective as the captain although in this instance, Alex felt a mild curiosity to knowing what was running through his mind. Her skin still tingled with their coupling earlier. Instinctively, she glanced at the captain's ready room where the steamy encounter had taken place and while the entity herself had found the entire episode pleasurable, a little smiled crossed her lips when she thought of how repulsive her host would find the entire situation. The host yearned for the Vulcan, which confused the intelligence gatherer of the group since the Vulcan seemed incapable of reciprocating physical affection. They were a strange race these Federations, the gatherer thought to herself.
While she was a part of the Many, her role as gatherer had allowed her a certain empathy with the subjects she often observed and studied. The culture of the Federations traced its evolutionary path along the same lines of her own race where the male of the species was always in dominance. The female was rarely held in much esteem, with sporadic exceptions throughout the course of history. Fortunately, such small-minded attitudes had started to wither with the advent of the 21st century and by the present day, the female of the species was every much the equal. If only it had been that way on their own world, so much blood would have been spared on either side.
"Captain," JD Dunne spoke up, a hint of annoyance on his face as he regarded his console panel.
Alex stiffened instinctively; aware of what he was going to say even before he spoke it out loud and quickly thought with some counteractive answer that would allay all fears until the arrival of the others. The youth was only a junior officer and to their folly, they had underestimated his tenacity somewhat. He did not feel comfortable with his communication station being dead to all signals except extra-ship transmissions. He was determined not to fail so that made him doubly cautious of anything going wrong with his station and often double-checked everything to ensure that it did not.
"How long is this diagnostic gonna take?" JD inquired impatiently. He did not like anything on his console in a non-functioning state. JD knew he tended to be paranoid about such things, but he could not help it. After all, he was the youngest member of a highly experienced team of officers who would have been the best at whatever they attempted and all he had to credit himself was an ability to defeat a computer simulation at the Academy.
"JD," Buck glanced at him with enough firm authority to show that he was now answering the younger man as his commanding officer and not as his friend. JD had been pestering them at ten-minute intervals over this issue and when he asked the question again, Buck had seen Chris stiffen in his seat. "It's a routine procedure we carry out when things are quiet like this. It will get done when it gets done."
"I know," JD nodded noticing the hint of tension in the commander's voice "It's just that no one has even tried to contact the bridge through com badge."
Chris regarded the young man and snapped out of his reverie long enough to consider that little bit of observation. He himself had been so preoccupied with the situation between Buck and Alex, not to mention himself and Casey that he was less aware of things on his ship than he should have been. Normally when ship wide communication was suspended like this, there was still some kind of communication through the com badges. It was impossible that on a ship this size, with the number of personnel, civilians and departments that someone did not need something from the bridge. Ever since the communications blackout had taken place, Chris realized that no one had tried to contact them for some trivialities of shipboard life and that was almost unheard of.
"Good call Ensign." Chris remarked sincerely as he tapped his com badge as he saw JD smile from the praise. "Engineering, what's going on down there?" Chris asked after a moment and waited for an answer.
A few seconds passed and there was no response.
Chris tapped his com badge once more, trying to ensure that everything was working adequately. There was no reason for alarm yet but Chris' suspicions had been raised. The young man had pointed out an inconsistency Chris had missed during his ruminations about Alex, Buck and of course Casey. He gave himself a stern reminder that keeping one's mind on the job was not only a rule that was for his crew but one that applied to him as well. The com badge made no sound upon the repeat of the attempt and Chris glanced at Buck in mild concern. "Try yours."
Buck nodded, feeling the same concern and failing to notice Alex leaving her station and coming down the sloped walk that led to the floor of the bridge. Within seconds, she was almost to their command chairs. The science officer betrayed nothing as she watched him carefully as he repeated the same procedure on his own com badge. "Engineering, this is Commander Wilmington. What is the status of the repairs to our communications array?"
Once again, there was no answer for engineering. All that waited for them following that question was the same silence.
"Perhaps, they're just adjusting the frequency modulations on our com system." Alex offered, aware that a situation was starting to form that might soon escalate out of control and to the detriment of their carefully laid plans. She could see it in their eyes, the concern that perhaps something was a miss. That things were not as right as they seem. The insides that were not her own began to construct with urgency at the coming calamity.
"Whatever it is," Chris said sharply, not at all satisfied with that explanation or the situation as it stood. He took pride in knowing what was taking place on his own ship and the fact that he had been so preoccupied with personal matters, made him angry at himself for allowing personal problems to keep him from being fully alert to the needs of his ship. Turning to Buck, Chris decided on a more definitive course of action beyond waiting around for someone to contact them. "I want to know what the situation is. Buck, get down there."
"Sure Chris," Buck nodded automatically and rose from his chair. He was preparing to go even if the captain had not asked. In the last few seconds, something had started to bother him and the concern over their lack of communications with the rest of the ship seemed to amplify that worry.
Alex's mind was racing furiously. If Buck could leave the bridge and get to Engineering, he might discover what the Many had been so laboriously trying to hide from himself and the captain these past few hours. As the two ranking commanders on the ship, Buck Wilmington and Chris Larabee had the power to dash all their plans if either were to discover what was transpiring beyond these walls. Both had the power to disable all computer functions through voice command alone, but she was too outnumbered to try for either of them. Buck had started to move past her on his way towards the turbo lift. Fortunately, before he was even half way to it, the doors slid open on their own volition.
Chris let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Julia Pemberton entering the bridge, as well as the more pleasant surprise of Mary next to her. After his encounter with Casey, seeing Mary was a tonic he needed and with Julia being here, the question of what was happening on his bridge could be answered by the Chief Engineer. However, his pleasure at seeing both women soon disintegrated when realized that both were armed with phaser rifles.
"What the hell is going on?" Chris demanded and stood up from his command chair.
Mary did not even react to the sound of his voice as she and Julia advanced into the bridge, with Alex moving furtively into position herself. Even though they were armed, Chris was still not ready to believe that there was any danger, his mind still grappling with the notion that there was a reasonable explanation behind all this. He kept thinking that for the two seconds it took for Julia Pemberton to raise her weapon and fire before anyone had any time to react. Not that they could have because no one could have imagined what happened next. Chris watched in soundless horror as Julia fired. The first blast striking JD in the chest, almost tearing him off the seat as he thrown off his chair before crumpling to the floor.
"JD!" Buck shouted in panic and took no more than a step forward when Alex's hand lashed out and smashed into the tender part of his throat, bringing the commander to his knees immediately. Buck was groaning as he struggled for breath, nearly choking from the agony of the crippling blow. Chris rose to his feet instantly, prepared to act when suddenly he heard Mary's voice in his ear.
"Don't." The threat in her eyes was clear.
For a moment, he really did not think she would shoot him. His mind was still reeling in astonishment over what was happening. He saw JD lying on the floor, unconscious. He let out a sigh of relief realizing the boy was merely stunned, not killed. If it had been the other, his uniform would bear indications of it. Buck in the mean time was clutching his throat, having real trouble breathing as he gasped loudly. His face was crimson as he struggled for breath while Alex looked on dispassionately, turning the phaser that Julia had handed her on the first officer to ensure he gave her no further trouble, when he finally recovered. Julia had her rifle aimed at anyone else who might give them trouble. Chris weighed his options, realizing that something was at work here that had taken over his officers and since they seemed to want the bridge for a specific reason, Chris decided that he had no choice but to deny them that chance.
"Computer..."
He never managed to finish the rest of the sentence because no sooner than the words had made their futile effort to leave his throat, Mary pulled the trigger without hesitation. What she knew of the man had told her that he would not be subject to coercion, not without something more tangible to lose other than his life. By the time he woke up, they would have that option prepared for him. However, for the moment, it was safer all around if he was incapacitated for the duration. Chris tumbled to the floor wordlessly as the effects of the phaser on stun ripped through his body with one sharp burst.
"Chris!" Buck tried to speak but his voice was weak and strained. Looking up at Alex, he noted that the science officer was keeping a careful eye on him and realized in that instance, if he had attempted to follow Chris' steps to disable the main computer, he would be dealt with in precisely the same way. Alex had hit him in the throat for that specific reason, to ensure that he would not be able to complete the order to the computer before she and Julia were able to disable that function in the computer's programming.
"I wouldn't try to say anymore Commander." Alex warned coldly, jamming the phaser into the side of his head. "At this range I could fry your brains before the word escapes you. Trust me; this will go painlessly if you cooperate with us."
"Alex," Buck looked at her and then at the other, trying to understand what was going on. He implored to her if she was still somewhere behind those cold eyes. Somehow, he had to reach the person whom he knew her to be, not this cold-blooded stranger. "Fight it. Whatever it is that is making you do this. Fight it. You're the strongest mind I know on this ship, fight it!" He implored desperately.
"Everything is not all it seems Commander," his answer reached him not from Alex but from someone else behind him, following the open slide of the ready room doors. Buck strained to look and saw Casey Wells emerging from Chris' office.
The minute he saw her, he knew something was wrong. Her walk was all wrong. He knew Casey and yet when she approached, Buck immediately realized that she was not the Casey Wells. The Casey Wells he knew was a somewhat shy young woman who could sometimes rise above herself with burst of youthful abandon. Poised on the verge of womanhood, Casey struggled to be just like her more experienced comrades, not always succeeding. Buck knew her to be a young girl in love with JD so totally that she knew nothing else but as she strode past the ensign, Casey barely gave him a glance as she progressed towards them.
"You have done well." Casey complimented the other women in the room as she sauntered forward, confidence oozing in every graceful movement forward. Everything about her told Buck that this was not Casey Wells, and someone was using her body like a suit of clothes for it was not a young girl before him, but a woman in every sense of the word. Approaching Buck, she stared at the first officer for a long time and then responded.
"The rest of the ship has been secured." Julia informed the leader. "Our people moved into place the moment we stepped onto the bridge."
Buck's mind whirled, unable to comprehend how blind they could have been to what was happening. His mind started to open like a house with many doors and the knowledge that filtered through his mind made things very clear. Suddenly, he understood why Alex had come to him as she had. It was not because of her needs but rather her ability to keep him off balance and distracted from noticing what was taking place on the rest of his ship. The commander cursed his own weakness and wondered how he could have allowed himself to be played so easily.
"Excellent," Casey nodded in approval and regarded Buck once again. "It appears Commander Wilmington, we have your ship."
"Who's we?" Buck muttered raspy question. For the moment, he would suspend any effort to try and disable the computer system because it would serve no purpose for him to be rendered just as unconscious as Chris or JD. He had to know what was happening to save the Maverick from these entities that had captured the minds of his fellow officers.
"You need not concern yourself with that," Casey retorted and moved past him to take a seat in the command chair while Chris was still lying unconscious as the foot of it. She lowered herself into it with great relish, like a conqueror, staking claim to her prize. Buck almost blanched at the sight of her in Chris' chair, especially when the captain was there at her feet like trophy. "We needed your ship and now we have her. We do not wish to harm anyone, but we will take whatever measures we must to achieve our end of returning to our home world."
"If you girls wanted a lift, you might have just asked." Buck remarked, still rubbing his sore throat.
"Ask anything of a man?" She stared at him almost astonished by the very notion. "Your kind are destroyers, dominators, jailers and rapists at some point. Understand that your kind and mine are enemies and that you should be thankful that we do not chose to jettison every single one of your accursed gender into space." Casey said with such vehemence that Buck wondered what on earth these entities had endured to engender such terrible hatred.
"That's mighty harsh," Buck tried to keep her talking to understand more. "Now explain to us what you did to our women to make them help you."
"We did nothing to them." Casey explained with a little smile. "We are merely residing here until we are home again. Trust me on this Commander; their safety depends entirely on how cooperative you are going to be."
Vin knew something had changed on the Maverick the moment it happened.
He could feel it in his bones, a slight shift in the overall resonance of the ship that tingled along his spine like a mild shudder he could dissect in degrees from sheer repetition. He sensed it like he was able to tell from the slight breeze blowing across the green covered hills of his Texas ranch on Earth that a storm was coming. In this instance, the medium was completely different, but the feeling was always the same. He looked up suddenly and noticed that he was not alone in his discover. The lieutenant named Rain was also wearing a curious expression on her face that seemed to detect the same thing that she did even though it was taking her longer to guess what the change was.
Nathan and Josiah were oblivious to it mostly because they were not of the same breed that Rain and he were. For different reasons, Rain and Vin could detect the change as it occurred but the doctor and the counselor whose expertise was grounded in something a little more biological, they could be forgiven for not seeing. Vin saw Rain's phaser, the barrel of which had been held in such a way, poised to fire, suddenly droop as her eyes stared around her for something she could not see but could feel with every fiber of her being.
"We've just gone to Warp 9." Vin announced for the benefit of those who did not know.
"You felt it?" Rain asked as she stared at him, her voice hushed as she put forward her question, glad that she was not just imagining things. She had noticed a slight shift in the low hum that resonated throughout the Maverick and thought for a moment she was being foolish that there was nothing important about a sound.
"Yeah," Vin nodded. "We've hit high warp."
"How can you tell Vin?" Josiah found himself asking. The ship felt the same to him and he could not understand how they could come to that conclusion.
"Josiah," Vin said with a little smile. "When you're used to flying this bird, you tend to get an idea of the sounds she makes when she goes from low to high gear and I'm telling you, right now she's flying through space like a bat out of hell."
"You think they've moved on the bridge?" Rain asked, dismayed that they were too late.
"I can't see no reason why we would hit maximum warp without good reason." Vin retorted, deciding that they had wasted enough time here and it was time to get to the bridge. "That's it," he said firmly. "Josiah give me your gun."
Josiah was more than glad to relinquish the weapon to Vin since the Officer of the Con was probably better at handling it than he ever would be anyway. "What are you going to do?" He asked once he had given it to Vin.
"Well I'm staying here." Vin responded and glanced at Rain. "You up to taking a little walk with me Chief?" He asked.
"Lead the way Sir." Rain replied automatically and drew a faint smile from Vin. "Where are we going?"
"To the bridge," he answered before turning his attention to Josiah. "Get the force field up when we leave," Vin instructed the Counselor since Nathan seemed particularly engrossed in what he was doing at present. "You should be pretty safe in here."
"I found something!" Nathan exclaimed, slicing through anything else Josiah might have said in deference to his orders.
"What?" Vin asked immediately, preferring to know what he was going to be facing when he and Rain reached the bridge. "What have you got?" The trio quickly converged around the doctor who was standing over a particularly complicated piece of machinery that was poised over Lieutenant Richmond's head from which he had made his discovery.
"Its not just a virus or an alien." Nathan looked up after a moment. "Its a biological energy pattern."
"An energy patterns?" Rain exclaimed. "I don't understand."
"Look here," Nathan pointed to the small screen of the medical scanner that showed two sets of erratic lines running parallel on a dark digitized surface. "Those are brain waves patterns. One is Lieutenant Richmond's, I was able to compare them to the most recent encephalogram she had taken during her last physical. The other one belongs to someone else."
"How is that possible?" Josiah inquired, understanding something of what Nathan was showing them.
"I don't know but unlike Lieutenant Richmond's brain wave patterns which is generated by chemical reactions in human synapses, this other one is composed of an energy pattern I have never seen before."
"My God." Rain exclaimed. "That was what was in the artifact. Brain waves. All that storage space we thought was for information about an alien culture was not at all for that but rather the biological neural energy pattern of a life form."
"You mean that thing has been hurtling in space for a quarter of a million years with a life form trapped in it?" Vin tried to imagine a more horrible fate and found that he could not. He wondered what it must do to anyone to be faced with that kind of confinement.
"More than that," Nathan added. "I don't see any evidence to prove that this is brain wave is part of a larger consciousness. They may be linked in some way, but the readings indicate that they all function independently. If they were interdependent, I would be seeing readings that match the brain wave patterns taken from Borg drones we have had the chance of examining. However, since they are independent for most part and seemed to have taken most of the female crew members on the ship, it would be safe to assume..."
He did not have to finish that statement because Vin did it for him. "That there are hundreds of them."